Correctional Medical Services

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Wanted to know nurses' opinions of this private provider of corrections healthcare. Are they a good employer and do they provide a safe standard of care at your place of employment? Appreciate the feedback. Thanks. Eliandrock

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I've been with them since September... not a real long time to form a definite opinion, but I've not had any troubles. Most of our troubles come from "inside" and need handled within.

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I worked for them in Jacksonville from 2004-2006 and had no problems at all. It was actually a great experience for me. It was at the county jail which is pretty rough due to Jacksonville crime issues. The only reason I left the jail was because the Dept of Health took over and I didn't care for my job.

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

I worked for them 1 1/2 years. I did not have a good experience. My manager was horrible to work for and there was never any PRN staff to cover for when someone was out sick or on vacation. My schedule was constantly being changed and my shifts switched at the last minute. I would come in for my day shift only to be sent home because my manager needed me to work the night shift, or being lucky to have off on a holiday and then be called that morning to report to work---or be let go. They spell it all out in their employment manual that even though you might have a schedule, you are expected to be flexible and work when and where they need you. Some of our nurses were expected to report to other prisons in the state to work when that prison had a shortage.

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CMS. In my opinion, they aren't a good company The adminstrator treated you like a slave. We actually had one nurse get into people pay checks.. guess what that nurse is still working for CMS. The pay isnt worth the hassel you get from management. Our Jail went thru 72 nurses in one year.. She is known to be a liar even the police officers had very little respect for the moron. After working for this company for 2 years I had enough and left..

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I worked for them 1 1/2 years. I did not have a good experience. My manager was horrible to work for and there was never any PRN staff to cover for when someone was out sick or on vacation. My schedule was constantly being changed and my shifts switched at the last minute. I would come in for my day shift only to be sent home because my manager needed me to work the night shift, or being lucky to have off on a holiday and then be called that morning to report to work---or be let go. They spell it all out in their employment manual that even though you might have a schedule, you are expected to be flexible and work when and where they need you. Some of our nurses were expected to report to other prisons in the state to work when that prison had a shortage.

I would say that many people have a similar experience with CMS. Probably depends on location and mgt. We are constantly turning over managers.

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:uhoh3:I've never worked for a more non caring corporation!. I feel as if they only care about warm bodies. Our schedule changes on a daily basis. Employees are yelled at like children. Employees are put in unsafe situations and constantly working short handed. Wages are not equal for all employees. Benefits are not the best. PArt time employees make like 3 dollars less an hour than full time. Part time employees get treated 100% nicer than full time employees and get prime amount of hours at better pay and full time employees get what is left. No Ethics at all. There is no one to turn to or to voice your opinion to.

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I worked for CMS for 10 years in the 1990s. They are like any other organization private or not, there are some people that are better managers/administrators than others. I would not have worked for them for so long if I did not feel that the company was not fair/equitable/ethical overall. I only left their employment because of personal reasons and needing to move to another part of the country then where I was living at the time. I was always rewarded for my hard work with promotions and new positions when I qualified. I could not find fault with the company itself. Like I said sometimes people get into management that should not be. That happens with any company.

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:uhoh3:I've never worked for a more non caring corporation!. I feel as if they only care about warm bodies. Our schedule changes on a daily basis. Employees are yelled at like children. Employees are put in unsafe situations and constantly working short handed. Wages are not equal for all employees. Benefits are not the best. PArt time employees make like 3 dollars less an hour than full time. Part time employees get treated 100% nicer than full time employees and get prime amount of hours at better pay and full time employees get what is left. No Ethics at all. There is no one to turn to or to voice your opinion to.

I have worked for them for several years in the Arkansa contract and have not had a single one of these issues to deal with! I have been acknowledged for my work. The nurses make a comparable if not competitive salary as compared to the hospitals. Cms offers 5wks and a day of vacation when you walk in the door. I don't know any where else you get that and can use immediately. Shift diffs up to 3 dollors/hr?? I disagree! I feel as though they are quite fair and caring. They also have many tools to work with no matter what the problem and their corrective action is quite fair and gives you the employee several opportunities to correct the problems Quite fair!

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.
I have worked for them for several years in the Arkansa contract and have not had a single one of these issues to deal with! I have been acknowledged for my work. The nurses make a comparable if not competitive salary as compared to the hospitals. Cms offers 5wks and a day of vacation when you walk in the door. I don't know any where else you get that and can use immediately. Shift diffs up to 3 dollors/hr?? I disagree! I feel as though they are quite fair and caring. They also have many tools to work with no matter what the problem and their corrective action is quite fair and gives you the employee several opportunities to correct the problems Quite fair!

I worked in the Arkansa contract as well. My boss yelled at us and treated us like dirt. The schedules were changing all the time. Compared to the local hospital here, the pay was a lot less. I don't know where you got the 5 wks and a day vacation when you walked in the door. Even if we got that, there was never any staff to cover for you. When I worked the weekend, I was the only one there. I'm glad you had a good experience, but over all this company is poorly managed. The manager I had is still there inspite of complaints and huge turnover. CMS thinks she is wonderful-----and that says it all doesn't it.

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iNTERESTING YOU ASKED THAT i TOOK OVER AS CHIEF NURSING OFFICER IN A FACILITY THAT JUST GOT RID OF CMS. ALTHOUGH I NEVER WORKED WHEN THEY WERE THERE I SAW THE AFTERMATH AND IT WAS NOT PRETTY. APPARENTLY AT NIGHT YOU WERE EXPECTED TO FAX THEM NOT PHONE IF ANY INMATE NEEDED TO GO TO AN OUTSIDE HOSPITAL FOR SOMETHIING YOU COULD NOT HANDLE IN HOUSE. THE ONLY THING WAS THEY DID NOT GET BACK TO YOU FOR HOURS. I WAS IN A BAD POSITION BECAUSE I WAS SHARING THE POSITION WITH THE OLD DON WHO WAS HIRED BY CMS AND WHOSE CONTRACT WOULD END A YEAR FROM MY DATE OF HIRE AND IT WAS WRITTEN IN HER CONTRACT THAT SHE COULD NOT BE SUED. AS A RESULT I ATTENDED 7 LAWSUITS AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE OF INMATES WHO HAD A MI AND WERE NOT TREATED IN A TIMELY MANNER, A PERSON WHO STROKED AND DID NOT GET TO THE HOSPITAL IN UNDER 3 HOURS SO THEY WERE LEFT WITH A SEVERE DEFICIT. PATIENTS IN SEVERE DT'S, A PT WITH A HEAD BLEED WHO WAS BEATEN BY THE POLICE PTA AND A PT WHO HAD A SUBARACHNOID BLEED LEFT IN A VEGETATIVE STATE, THE CHARGES WERE ENDLESS NEEDLESS TO SAY i LASTED ONE YEAR.

THIS DON WAS SCARY, I SAW HER THROW WATER ON A INMATE AND SLAP HIS FACE BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT HE WAS FAKING A SEIZURE ( HE WAS NOT HE WAS CYANOTIC AND IN STATUS EPILEPTICUS AND ENDED UP BEING INTUBATED BY EMS), SHE ALSO INSTEAD OF APPLYING PRESSURE AND ELEVATING THE ARMS OF A PT WHO SLICED HIS ARTERY OF BOTH HIS WRISTS PLACE THEM IN ICE WATER THINKING THEY WOULD CONSTRICT (NOTTTTTT). SHE REFUSED TO GIVE A PATIENT WHO WAS HAVING ALL THE CLASSIC SIGNS OF AN MI (CHESTPAIN DIAPHORESIS AND SOB) UNTIL SHE GOT A DOCTORS ORDER EVEN THOUGH WE HAD STANDING ORDERS TO GIVE IT.

THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMELS BACK WAS SHE DECIDED EVERY INMATE WHO CAME IN WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM ALL PSYCH MEDICATION AND NARCOTICS AND WOULD HAVE AN APPT WITH THE MEDICAL DOCTOR WHETHER THE INMATE NEEDED IT TO BE REINSTATED ( THE PROBLEM WAS SOME APPT WERE NOT FOR SEVERAL DAYS). WHEN I CALLED THE BON AND ASKED IF I WAS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DOCTOR AND DON'S BAD JUDGEMENT I WAS TOLD BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT BE SUED THEN YES I WOULD BE. I CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I WAS OUT OF THERE.

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I worked in the Arkansa contract as well. My boss yelled at us and treated us like dirt. The schedules were changing all the time. Compared to the local hospital here, the pay was a lot less. I don't know where you got the 5 wks and a day vacation when you walked in the door. Even if we got that, there was never any staff to cover for you. When I worked the weekend, I was the only one there. I'm glad you had a good experience, but over all this company is poorly managed. The manager I had is still there inspite of complaints and huge turnover. CMS thinks she is wonderful-----and that says it all doesn't it.

I am sorry that you had a bad experience. Would be courious to know what unit you worked at and when?

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